Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Cappuccino&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Cappuccino’, having a slightly domed capitulum of white petalled, yellow/red cushion anemone type flowers and an upright, medium tall growth habit.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/715,014, filed Sep. 8, 2005.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Cappuccino’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Cappuccino’.

‘Cappuccino’, identified as 14063-0 originated from a cross made in acontrolled breeding program in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom.The female parent of the new variety is the unpatented variety‘Cambridge’ and the male parent is the unpatented variety known as ‘LeMans’. The new variety ‘Cappuccino’ has been asexually reproduced byvegetative cuttings, in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and thedistinguishing characteristics are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Cappuccino’ is a cut type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having a flatcapitulum form and white petal yellow/red cushion anemone type flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Cappuccino’ are dissimilar tothe female parent ‘Cambridge’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Cappuccino’ differed from plants of the female parent ‘Cambridge’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Cappuccino’ produces white petalled,        yellow/red cushion anemone type flowers whereas the female        parent ‘Cambridge’ produces orange anemone type flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Cappuccino’ have smaller and        taller inflorescence than plants of the female parent        ‘Cambridge’.

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Cappuccino’ are dissimilar tothe male parent ‘Le Mans’ in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Cappuccino’ differed from plants of the male parent ‘Le Mans’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Cappuccino’ produces white petalled        yellow/red cushioned anemone type flowers whereas the male        parent ‘Le Mans’ produces pink-white anemone type flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Cappuccino’ have larger and taller        inflorescence than plants of the male parent ‘Le Mans’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Cappuccino’ have a 55 Short Day        response whereas plants of the male parent ‘Le Mans’ have a 48        Short Day response.

Comparison with the Chrysanthemum Variety ‘Apennine’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Cappuccino’ are dissimilar toplants of the patent pending variety ‘Apennine’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 11/396,882) in plant habit and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Cappuccino’ differed from plants of ‘Apennine’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Cappuccino’ produces white petalled        yellow/red cushioned anemone type flowers whereas ‘Apennine’        produces white petalled green cushioned anemone type flowers.    -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Cappuccino’ have smaller and        taller inflorescence than plants of ‘Apennine’.    -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Cappuccino’ have lighter and        smaller foliage than plants of ‘Apennine’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Cappuccino’ are shown in the accompanying illustration printedfrom a digital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possiblewithin the usual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a closerview, showing inflorescence and foliage characteristics of the newcultivar in greater detail. The plant shown in the illustration is 55days from the onset of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Cappuccino’is of plants grown for 55 Short Days in a greenhouse in Chichester, WestSussex, United Kingdom, in the month of February. The cultivar has notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypemay vary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a cutChrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 18° C. to 25° C.during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 footcandles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such asthree B9 treatments at about 2500 ppm. To produce a commercial product,the plants have the center bud removed. It has been observed that theshelf life of the new variety is about 18 days with a response time ofabout 8 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperaturerange of 18° C. to 25° C. The new variety may be produced as a sprayChrysanthemum. The following description is with respect to a plantproduced as a spray Chrysanthemum. In the description of this newChrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

-   Plant:    -   -   Plant type.—anemone type cut Chrysanthemum.        -   Habit.—Upright.        -   Height (cm).—90-110.        -   Width (cm).—8-12.        -   Stem.—Length (cm): 80-105 Diameter (cm): 0.6-0.8 Texture:            Slightly rough, slightly pubescent Color: near 143A.        -   Branching characteristics.—Lateral Branches: Length (cm):            5.5-8.0 Diameter (cm): 0.2-0.3 Texture: Slightly rough,            slightly pubescent.        -   Number of breaks from pinch.—9-16.        -   Response time.—near 55 days.        -   Vigor.—Medium/Tall.        -   Shelf life.—near 18 days.        -   Life of blooms.—near 18 days.        -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed).—None observed            to date.        -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed).—None observed to            date.        -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance            observed).—None observed to date.        -   Growth retardant type and treatment.—3 applications of 2.5            gm/liter B9 @21, 25 and 28 days after sticking unrooted            cuttings. The plants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day            conditions (20 hours of light) and then transferred to Short            Day conditions (13 hours of dark).        -   Propagation.—Type: Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings            Time to rooting: 12 days with soil temperatures of 22° C.            Rooting habit: After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and            form root primordia. In 14 Long Days, a complete root system            is developed.-   Foliage:    -   -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—37-44.        -   Compound or single.—Single.        -   Arrangement of leaves.—Alternate. Shape of Leaf: Typically 5            lobed Size of Leaf: Width (cm): 4-6.5 Length (cm): 4-9.5            Leaf Apex: Rounded Base: Truncate Attachment: Petioled            Aspect: Slightly undulating Margin: 5 lobed palmate Surface            characteristics: Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom: Slightly            pubescent.        -   Petiole.—Color: near 138A Length (cm): 1-2 Diameter (cm):            2.2.5 Surface: Slightly pubescent, slightly rough.        -   Venation.—Net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside            Color: upper side: near 144B under side: near 144B.        -   Color.—Mature Leaf, upper side: near 137A; underside: near            137C Young Leaf, upper side: near 137A; under side: near            137C.-   Flower:    -   -   Flower appearance.—Matte.        -   Flower type.—Anemone.        -   Flower form.—Flat.        -   Flower shape.—Round.        -   Flowering habit.—Cylindrical.        -   Number of blossoms per branch.—9-16.        -   Typical and observed flowering season.—Year Round.        -   Inflorescence form.—Corymbiform Depth of fully expanded            blossoms (cm): 1-2 Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm):            5-6 Anemone center diameter (cm): 2-2.5.-   Phyllaries: Number: 21-23 Color: near 137C Length (cm): 0.6-0.8    Width (cm): 0.2-0.3 Texture/Appearance: Smooth, slightly pubescent.    -   -   Pedicel.—Length (cm): 5.5-8.0 Diameter (cm): 0.2-0.3 Angle            from stem (degrees): 15-20 Color: near 143A Surface:            Slightly rough, slightly pubescent Habit: Slightly curving            Strength: Strong.        -   Ray florets.—Form/Shape: Straight with a few tubular            Texture/Appearance: Smooth, slightly ridged Number per            flower: 45-50 Length (cm): 2-2.5 Width (cm): 0.5-0.8 Apex:            Round Base: Tubular Margin: Entire.        -   Disc florets.—Form/Shape: Cylindrical Texture/Appearance:            Smooth, dull Number per flower: 140-150 Length (cm):            0.8-1.0; Width (cm): <0.1 0.15 Diameter of disc (cm):            0.5-0.6.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Flower bud (at onset of color).—Length (cm): 0.6-0.8            Diameter (cm): 0.8-1.0 Form/Shape: Round, globular.        -   General flower color.—1. Ray florets, upper side: Immature:            near 155B Mature: near 155B Older/Fading: near 155B 2. Ray            florets, under side: Immature: near 155C Mature: near 155C            Older/Fading: near 155C 3. Ray florets, tube, outer side:            near 158B 4. Ray florets, tube, inner side: near 158A 5.            Disc florets: Immature: near 6C; tip near 42B Mature: near            6D Older/Fading: near 5D 6. Bud: near 137A.-   Flower progression with age.—Flowers do not fade with age.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium present on ray and/or disc florets.—        -   Ray florets per individual flower.—Pistillate. Pistil            number: 45-50 Stigma color: near 151A Stigma shape: Forked            Style color: near 151A Style length (cm): 0.1-0.4.        -   Disc florets per individual flower.—Pistillate Pistil            number: 140-150 Stigma color: near 151A Stigma shape: Forked            Style color: near 151A Style length (cm): 0.15-0.2.5.        -   Androecium.—Not observed.        -   Fruit and seeds.—None observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.